The Memory of a Night
by CJJJones
Summary: What is it about the memory of one night that can infect the soul and the mind? What is it that weeks or months later cannot let us forget it? My first HP/GW story about friends, growing up, mistaken identities and of course love.
1. Morning after the night before

Chapter One

Notes- the inspiration for this story came from the fact that several of my friends have been turning twenty one this year so with that and graduation there have been a lot of parties in my life in the last few months. The conversation that Hermione and Ginny have in this chapter is loosely based on one I had with my flatmate after a friend's twenty first and is the inspiration for the rest of the story. Just to make it clear 1. I have asked her permission for the use of the conversation 2. Our lives did not unfold like the rest of the story. But if young people get drunk in the real world why not in the magical world too?

The morning after the night before 

Hermione sat at the large kitchen table that dominated the house she shared with her flatmate. The table was far too big for the room, but the pair have been given it by Hermione's parents and she felt as though giving it away would be like rejecting a gift. This particular morning found Hermione sat with a large coffee cup in her hand and the wizarding wireless chatting to itself.

The night before had been the biggest party she had probably attended in her life. It was her boyfriend Draco Malfoy's birthday. As the only heir to a sizeable fortune he had insisted on throwing a wildly expensive masked party at his large Bristol home. Hermione had rolled her eyes when he had first mentioned it thinking he would never pull it off. But she had acknowledged to herself last night had been amazing. The flat had been decorated as a mid-summer's party with full glades of trees, twinkling stars and the odd fairy. If Hermione didn't know better she would have thought he had been reading Shakespeare. However the morning after she was feeling the after-effects. She had found her best dress ripped when she woke up this morning. Her head was nursing a sizeable headache and she was missing a flatmate.

She had spent the last twenty minutes or so trying to work out when she had lost her. She knew they had arrived together. Hermione dressed in her favourite sky blue cocktail dress, the same one that lay ripped in her wardrobe: unlike some guests she had not bothered to change her appearance letting her soft brown curls down. She loved seeing the looks on the faces of certain girls when she revealed that she was dating Draco. Draco for his part did not change his body language but Hermione doubted he did not know the eyes that were following him. Ginny, Hermione's flatmate, had changed her appearance changing her normally red hair to nut brown and her blue eyes the same deep brown. Hermione had remembered seeing her dance with some boy around midnight but she had lost her after that.

The door of the flat opened and Hermione looked up as she poured her cold coffee down the kitchen sink. Ginny stood on the other side of the door. Her brown hair had patched of red coming through and her eyes had returned to their original colour.

"Where have you been?" Hermione asked Ginny her voice sounding a lot like Ginny's mother.

"Let me get in the door," she mumbled "then I will tell you." The door slammed rather ominously and Hermione realised Ginny looked like she had a headache that was at least as bad as Hermione's own.

"I lost you around midnight you were with some guy," Hermione scolded.

"Yeah well that's when things got interesting," she smiled despite her headache her voice that of someone who had either a bad cold or a bad hangover. "We errr what's the phrase?" She left a pregnant pause where Hermione despite not normally being a gossip had to bite her lip not to shout out.

"Hooked up," finished Ginny and in spite of herself Hermione felt her left eyebrow raise an inch or so. "Don't look at me like that," Ginny laughed.

"Who I am to judge?" Hermione smiled. It was true Hermione and Draco had hid their relationship for around six months hoping his parents wouldn't find had only been discovered when they had been found in a compromising position in a cupboard by Ron and Harry who had been worried after she hadn't returned from a late night revision session. "So?" Hermione asked Ginny smiling curiously at her "how was it?"

"It was," Ginny paused "good."

"Good?" Hermione asked statically her eyebrow raising again.

"Well amazing, fantastic and..." her voice trailed off and despite her headache she drifted back to last night.

"Ginny, Gin, hello," Hermione snapped her fingers in front of Ginny's face and the spell was broken.

"Sorry," she said "I'm in work today," she remembered.

Ginny worked for the Daily Prophet newspaper in London. She had only been working there eighteen months and so far the most exciting thing she had done was read an owl from one of the members of the Weird Sisters. Most of the work involved making drinks and reading correspondence. Nevertheless she normally enjoyed her work and hoped at some point she would have her chance to be a writer.

By contrast Hermione was a trainee healer, her days were long and arduous. She had been looking forward to Draco's party for months, she knew her job today would be particularly hard: a healer with a hangover was not a good combination. Twenty minutes later both girls were a work. Six hours later they both thought they had easily had the worst day at work in a long time. Ginny spent most of the day daydreaming and amongst other things managed to cut her hand with a letter opener. Vowing she would learn the spell to open letters she headed home in a fowl mood. Hermione however had instead of curing a young wizard who had transfigured his arms into wings had changed the man into a bird then spent forty minutes chasing an emu around the halls of St. Mungos. Needless to say both girls fell into their beds that evening.


	2. The Long Morning

Chapter Two

The Long Morning

"Morning mate," Ron smiled through a mouthful of breakfast cereal at his flatmate Harry. The pair shared a a large flat in the centre of Bristol. It had been an unconscious choice by the pair, when they had heard of a large flat going cheap by word of mouth they had leaped on the opportunity. There only problem had been finding a third occupant for the spare room. Neither could afford the rent of the flat as a pair. That had been when Draco had floated the idea he would be their third flatmate. Harry and Ron had been uncomfortable with the idea, for one they didn't forgive him for secretly dating their best friends and secondly they had never got on at Hogwarts. It was only the fact that they loved the flat so much that had forced them to take him on. Their decision had been proved right so for, they both found themselves liking his personality and him dating Hermione meant that the "the golden trio" was back together. Even if Ron had told him to "put her down" on more than one occasion.

Harry exited his room looking with dazed eyes around at the mess,

"Looks like a bomb's hit it." He was wearing a pair of sunglasses over his green eyes he was dressed in a half-buttoned shirt over his boxer shorts.

"Where is Draco?" He asked.

"Shhh," Ron said and Harry stood still before they both heard a loud snore from the far bedroom.

"He snores?" Harry asked "since when?"

"I don't know but I do know I have something to blackmail him with the next time he hogs the shower." Harry took a seat next to Ron who was gobbling down cereal like it was going out of fashion. "Fancy any?" He asked Harry who violently shook his head.

"How come you're not too bad?" He asked his best friend.

"I didn't drink three beers straight off and I didn't start downing tequila shots at 3 a.m."

"I didn't."

"Yes you did and you weren't the only one. Draco dragged out some awful drink out and downed most of the bottle."

"It was a good party though."

"Definitely but the flat is such a mess," Harry laughed a little "what?" Ron asked.

"You worried about mess you are about the messiest person I know."

"I know," Ron laughed back "but there is a difference between not putting your jeans away and finding half a pizza behind the sofa."

"Oh please tell me you didn't."

"Oh yes and I stood in a box of chips too."

"Can you even remember when people went home?"

"No I think it was around six this morning."

"That was only a couple of hours ago." Harry said looking at the watch on his wrist. It's face was now cracked he felt decidedly guiltily: Ginny had bought him it as a birthday present.

"Didn't you stay up until then?"

"No," Harry replied averting his eyes.

"That is a guilty look," Ron smiled. "Did you get a girl?"

"Maybe,"

"That is a yes," Ron replied turning back to his cereal.

"She wasn't here when I woke up did you see anyone leave?"

"She stayed all night?"

"I think I remember falling asleep with her."

"Sorry mate I have only been up about ten minutes."

"How was it?" Ron asked.

"You've done it."

"I know but you haven't," Harry looked at his best friend,

"How do you know that?"

"Because I am your best friend. Now stop avoiding the question."

"Awesome," Harry smiled. Ron hit his best friend on the back.

"Good for you mate. We just have to find your mystery girl." Any further conversation was cut off by the opening of a slightly creaky door and soft padded footsteps against the wooden floor of the flat's hallway. A messy blonde haired man walked around the corner into the small kitchen. He was taller then either of his flatmates. The hard steel grey eyes that this morning were like Harry's hidden behind a pair of sunglasses.

"Morning," Ron smiled at him in exactly the same way he had at Harry only ten minutes earlier. Draco slumped on the table.

"I am dying," he announced to the pair. Ron grinned at him.

"No you're not."

"I swear I feel like I have a pumpkin for a brain."

"Enjoy last night?" Harry asked.

"I can't remember most of it. Hermione looked pretty." He yawned. The pair looked at him. They had been worried when they found out he was dating Hermione, but the couple seemed committed and somehow well suited.

"Draco listen to this." Ron paused dramatically but Draco seemed not to get the effect as he let his head drop onto the table in front of him.

"Harry got a girl." at his Draco did look up leaving his chin on the table and like his girlfriend at her home in Cambridge he raised his eyebrow.

"Really?" he asked sounding surprised as he directed the question towards Harry. Harry went red and starred angrily at Ron who had returned to his cereal that now resembled a soggy mess.

"I spent the night with errr someone." He said certainly.

"How much alcohol did you have?" Draco asked "even I can remember who I took to bed."

"Stop now," Ron said "I do not need a mental image of you and my best mate."

"Any descriptions?" Draco asked his speech a little muffled as he held his head on the table.

"Errrr...," Harry said as he thought. "A bit taller than Hermione around Ginny's height. Brown hair, shoulder length, a black dress I think."

"Pretty?" Draco asked as he set his head back on the headrest of his chair. He looked up as neither Harry nor Ron replied. "I still love Hermione," he said quickly. "Seriously I thought we had clarified that. Right I am off back to bed."

Ron looked murderously after him, he was at work in less than twenty minutes. The only one the three who had with unable to get the day off from their respective employer. He took small comfort in the knowledge as he and Draco worked together there was likely to be more than one sore head around the office.

When he looked up both Draco and Harry had retreated to their respective rooms, downing the last of his energy drink he headed out the door.


	3. A morning spent cleaning

Chapter Three

A morning spent cleaning

"Hi, can I come in?" Ginny asked as she knocked on the door of Draco, Ron and Harry's flat. Draco at least already knew she was here: he had buzzed her into the building.

"Yeah come in," he waved her across the threshold." Ginny wasn't sure why she was nervous she had been in the boy's flat several time. On this day there were a pile of black bin liners piled against the kitchen door. Ginny imagined what was inside: lanterns, branches, leaves that had been used to decorate the flat was piled on top of a huge pile of glasses and bottles that the guests at Draco's party has used to drink themselves into a stupor.

"How is the clean up operation going?" Ginny asked Draco.

"Good it would be faster if Harry and Ron pitched in."

"They're not here?" Ginny asked.

"No your brother is at work and Harry is talking to Hermione about something golden trio related. I'm surprised you didn't see him he has been gone over an hour."

"I've been at my parent's house." Ginny said.

"Oh," Draco replied for a second Ginny though she'd said the wrong thing. Draco's mother had died two years earlier, a freak accident the inquest had said but Draco and remained unconvinced. "So," he continued as brightly as though the awkward pause had not occurred. "What's up?" he grabbed a brown cardboard box and sat down on it passing another to Ginny. She sat down gingerly thinking the box would break, it didn't. Ginny looked at Draco and wondered for a second what she really knew about him. He was was in love with her flatmate. He was the heir to a fortune. She had been to school with him for six years. She paused, her knowledge stopped about there.

"Hello," he smiled. She was daydreaming again. She took a deep breath in.

"I," she paused. She hadn't thought how to phrase this, "kissed a guy at your party and I was completely drunk so I don't know who it was." This section of her sentence came out in such a rush Draco had to ask her to repeat it. When she had he smiled at her slyly.

"You old fox," he said. Ginny smiled she had no idea what it meant except that it was possibly quite good.

"I don't remember seeing you with anyone if that's what you were wondering." He said "sorry. I had probably consumed more alcohol than you I really don't remember much except that it was awesome." Ginny broke a smile.

"I was really good."

"Anyway Gin why didn't you ask Hermione or Ron or Harry? They would probably all remember more than me."

"Hermione said she went to your room around eleven, so she doesn't know anything." Draco shook his head.

"I think I have some apologising to do."

"Ron is my brother," Ginny continued "can you imagine having that conversation with someone you are related to? And Harry I have known too long." The last point was weak and Ginny knew it. The real reason she couldn't tell Harry was that he was still too close to her heart. His name still gave her butterflies in a way she didn't really like. Draco was her most logical choice simply because he was the furtherest away from her emotionally.

"My party seems to have been a hotbed of romance," he said smiling. "You're not the only one with a mystery lover."

"Oh," Ginny smiled tilting her head towards him in spite of herself, she loved a bit of gossip.

"Harry," Draco stated simply. Ginny's heart feel through to her boots.

"Right wow," there was no emotion in her voice. She felt as though someone had pulled her heart out of her chest. Ginny tried to smile she really did but it wouldn't come.

"Are you ok?" Draco asked "you look as though you've seen a ghost."

"I'm fine," she smiled unconvincingly.

"I'll keep my eyes open for your boy." Draco smiled. "Can you tell me what he looked like?" Ginny creased her forehead in concentration.

"Dark hair, brown I think, taller than me. That's about it."

"Nothing jumps to mind," Draco said "but I think some people changed their hair or eye colour."

"And wore masks," added Ginny glumly.

"Don't worry," Draco smiled "we'll find him." She smiled and said goodbye. A moment later she was gone, just an empty box in her place. Draco tapped his fingers against the cardboard, he had some thinking to do."


	4. An odd morning

Chapter Four

An odd morning

Note: I planned and wrote this story over the summer when the story about phone hacking was just breaking. The chapter is not written to ridicule the media but it certainly explores some problems with it. A theme, of course, J.K. herself explores in the books. Please please can someone give me second review on this story? Love it? Hate it? The stats for this story are quite good but just one review. Please someone make my day.

Ginny sat at her desk in the Daily Prophets' main office in Bloomsbury. She shared a workspace with several other low level workers for the last few months so her own desk was quite a privilege. She straightened a moving picture of her, Ron and their parents.

"Weasley," a voice shouted over the heads of the office and Ginny saw Stephen Halsley. Stephen was a tall, thin, balding man with piercing eyes that looked through a person rather than at them. Ginny always got the impression that she was constantly being weighed up by him. Stephen was the editor of the newspaper and Ginny had no idea what he would want with her. She walked into his large office with a beautiful view of the Tyrollean mountains in Austria. Ginny had no idea how he had done it, the Prophets' offices were in London.

"I don't have all day," Stephen stopped and Ginny snapped back, she had spent the last few minutes staring out of the window.

"Sorry," Ginny apologised quickly then hurriedly added "sir." Stephen seemed satisfied.

"Your work's been good so far kid." Ginny got the hidden barb as well as the compliment.

"I'm moving you to floor four," Ginny must have looked shocked because Stephen replied with.

"Don't gawp at me girl, I'm not a monster despite what you've heard." Ginny smiled the office viewed Stephen as a god-like figure that barked out orders without justification. However she was seeing someone with his ear to the ground showing his experience in the media.

"Go on then," he shouted but there was a slight smile with the harsh tone of voice.

Ginny emptied her desk.

"Problem Gi?" The face of the only other female junior reporter Winifred FitzSimmons, the voice was sickly sweet and there was a fake smile plastered all over the girl's face. Winifred was a harsh faced girl who wold do anything for a story. She had been on the junior reporter programme years longer than Ginny and as so always tried to undermine her ideas and decisions.

"No I am working on level four now," Ginny smiled innocently back. Winifred's face fell.

"What?" She shouted "this is so unfair."

"Take it up with Stephen," Ginny smiled and grabbing her small box of office equipment and headed towards the lift. It was a slow ride to the forth floor, someone had pressed the button for every floor. She tapped her foot impatiently against the cold tiled floor until the doors opened. The fourth floor was smaller than the eighth floor Ginny had just left. She knew this area of the office dealt with celebrity divorces, marriages and scandals. She peered curiously around the door of the office. There were around seven people working at various desks around the room.

"Hi," Ginny said to the nearest person "I am Ginny Weasley Stephen sent me here."

"Weasley," the woman frowned thinking of the name "are you a junior reporter?"

"Yes," Ginny said unsure what the woman wanted.

"Good we could do with someone new here. Go talk to Charlotte she's the one sat at the desk over there with the long brown hair." The woman pointed over to a petite woman with a small nose and long brown haired tied in a high ponytail. Ginny made her way over the the desk the woman was bent over. She was told to grab a desk,

"I'll be over in a moment," Charlotte shouted. "Right," she smiled five minutes later as she stood beside Ginny's new desk. She passed her a large brown envelope.

"These are pictures one of our photographer's took for a story about the Minister for Magic's daughter." Charlotte opened the envelope and inside were a pile of photographs of a young woman who looked around twenty four. She had cropped brown hair that suited her face with its high cheekbones. Ginny remembered that she had seen the woman at Draco's birthday party some weeks before. She looked closer at the pictures.

"Just find something incriminating." Charlotte nodded at her.

"Sure thing," Ginny smiled unconvincingly which Charlotte seemed not to notice. Ginny knew she had been wishing for this promotion for a long time, but it seemed harsh. The woman in the photographs was only having fun, in the same way most people her age were. Yet the public and the media seemed to have a need to scrutinise her just because of who her father was.

Ginny spent all morning flicking through the pictures looking for something incriminating, whilst equally hoping it wasn't there. She did find a photograph of the woman dancing on a makeshift bar in the flat which she judged sufficiently damaging. Ginny smiled with the memory of the night. The woman's dancing was a little wobbly but she smiled wide and Ginny could not help but smile with her. However that photograph was not as bad as the photograph showing the woman with an empty firewhisky bottle to her lips. Ginny continued like this through the day, when she returned after lunch she noticed a new envelope of pictures waiting.

"New story," Charlotte shouted across the small office "urgent." Ginny opened the envelope and looked at the photographs it had held. Ginny's blood went cold and butterflies began in her stomach. These photograph's were of Harry. Unmistakably he was the focus of these photographs some saw him move around with his friends, others had him laughing, a few showed him alone. But one caught her eye. The picture had Harry centred in the frame, a close up of his face and he was kissing a girl that was not wholly in the picture. She had pale skin and dark hair, that hair was pushed over her face so that her features were obscured. Ginny looked over the office and saw everyone busy at their work. She pushed that picture and a few "incriminating" others in the top drawer of her desk. She then pushed a picture of Harry with his hair awry and a drink in his hand to the centre of her desk.

"Really?" Charlotte asked suddenly over her shoulder making Ginny jump. "That's the best? Let's have a look at the others?" Ginny passed her the pile of photographs. "Not a good bunch," said Charlotte her forehead slashed in a deep frown as she tapped her fingers on Ginny's desk. "I need to talk to the photographers." Ginny's disbelief that Charlotte could fire someone that quickly was tempered with relief that she had not been caught taking pictures out of the envelope.

Notes: yes Draco, Ron and Harry's flat is a private residence but I see it as a modern non-magical building of glass and steel with a large balcony.


	5. A surprise in the morning

Chapter Five

A surprise in the morning

"Right," Hermione smiled at the assembled group. "I know your all wondering why I gathered you all here". Harry, Ron, Ginny with Luna and Neville where sat on the sofa of Hermione and Ginny's shared flat.

Luna and Neville were housemates and lived together in the Norfolk broads on a house that sat on stilts to keep it out of the fens. It was a wooden building with flags made of red and blue scraps around the windows and doors. Neville insisted the pair where not dating and Luna never answered the question. On this occasion Luna was examining a strand of her blonde hair as though it were fascinating.

"Well," Hermione smiled at the group as Draco hugged her a little tighter. He was stood behind her his head nestled on her shoulder.

"Seriously Draco," Ron called out interrupting Hermione mid-flow "put her down. She's like my sister I don't want to see you doing that." Draco's hands had been snaking around Hermione's hip. She looked down and pushed him a little away but still held his hand.

"Draco has asked me to marry him." There was a pause as everyone on the sofa including Luna stopped fidgeting. "And I said yes." The room went from complete silence to loud shouts and cries of,

"Congratulations mate,"

"Do you have the ring?"

"How did he propose?" after an hour or so only Hermione and Ginny where left sat on the sofa discussing how Draco had proposed and ideas Hermione had for the wedding. Draco himself evidently already bored of all the wedding talk had exiled himself to the Elba of the kitchen and was spending a very long time making the three of them drinks.

"I just have something to talk to you about," Hermione said more softly than their rushed excitable conversation had been so far. "Draco and I want to move in together before the wedding." Ginny smiled at her flatmate and wondered why she looked so nervous. "Here."

"Ok," Ginny said softly.

"I'm sorry," she quickly apologised "I don't want you to think I'm pushing you out or anything. I've loved being your flatmate," Ginny smiled widely and with genuine emotion.

"Me too I knew this would happen your prince would take you away."

"Prince?" Hermione replied skeptically "you have met Draco haven't you?" Then she paused "I don't want you to think I'm pushing you out."

"Don't worry I really I'll move out soon,"

"No no," Hermione said "take as long as you want find somewhere you really like."

"Actually," Ginny replied sheepishly "as soon as you mentioned it I was just going to move in with Ron and Harry.

"Oh," Hermione said quickly.

"Think about it," Ginny smiled "if they can't find a flatmate they'll have to leave their flat and it's so nice. Bristol isn't a big commute plus Draco's room is huge." She wasn't lying Draco was the wealthiest of the three and thus had been paying a little more rent than the others. This had entitled him to his choice of the three bedrooms and unsurprisingly he'd chosen the largest of the three. With more than enough room for his large wardrobe and a double bed. Ginny became suddenly glad for the pay rise her new position had given her.

"I thought about that too," admitted Hermione "I just wasn't sure if you want to share a flat with two boys one of whom is your brother."

"As long as they don't expect me to cook, clean and wash up after them I'm sure we will get on fine. Besides you've seen how many hours work takes me out these days." Hermione nodded along with the increase in pay Ginny had taken on a significant increase in the number of hours she was expected to be at work. Hermione thought the paper was liberal in the way it treated her but Ginny insisted all media work was like this. "Until you had climbed the greasy pole the pay and perks were not great" she had admitted one day after a fourteen hour day.

'Right this is the last of your clothes?" Harry asked as he and Ginny dragged a pair of boxes up the final flight of stairs in the building. The apartment complex that Ron, Harry and now Ginny lived had a lift but it had not been functioning for the last two months at least to Ginny's recollection.

"Yes," she replied "this is all my clothes I am sure you only own two t-shirts, a pair of jeans and some work stuff."

"Actually I was thinking how little it is Draco owns at least twice as much." Ginny smiled but it wasn't a true smile she was annoyed at herself for being instantly defensive when Harry had teased her.

"So," she said trying to change the conversation quickly "remind me why my brother isn't here helping."

"Because he always manages to have a good excuse for every situation," Harry smiled back as they hauled the boxes over the last step and into the flat.

"This is a lot tidier than last time I visited," Ginny remarked.

Yes the party was a bit mad wasn't it?" Harry smiled back.

"Yeah," Ginny replied "the party," inside she was breathing a sigh of relief she had never told Harry of her talk with Draco and he had never mentioned it. She was glad for that for some reason she could not quite explain, even to herself, she didn't want him knowing. An hour later the pair made the sixth journey up the steps with the very last of Ginny's belongings. This time it was books and although each box was not particularly large they were heavy. Harry dropped the box he'd been carrying on Ginny's bed. The books spilled out mostly old Hogwart's books. But he also spied "Jane Eyre" and "Emma", books he vaguely recognised but could barely remember. He resolved to ask Hermione next time he saw her.

"Thanks Harry," Ginny smiled as she put her box beside his, picking up Jane Eyre and she placed it on the bookshelf beside her new wardrobes.

"What is that book about?" Harry asked. Ginny smiled with the memories of the book.

"It's about a girl who's family dies and her extended family rejects her and she grows up alone, falls in love with a man who it turns out is already married to a mad woman he locks in the attic."

"Not a comedy then," Harry smiled.

"No but it is brilliant," Ginny smiled. Harry looked at her and saw her face so alive. "Hermione lent me it last year, it's a muggle book."

"What's up?" she asked his face suddenly had a strange contemplative look.

"Nothing," he replied quickly. If Ginny was asked later she would say truthfully she had no idea what came over her except that in that second he looked so perfect both strong and a little gentle. She bent down to Harry perched on the edge of her bed and kissed him. The kiss was so perfect that she was lost for a second and for a moment he was kissing her back. Then she felt him push her away. "Oh Merlin," she thought "he doesn't feel the same way. What have I done?"

Harry was read the blurb of "Jane Eyre" when Ginny lent in and without warning kissed Harry on the lips. He did not know how long the kiss lasted and it felt amazing but he could not get the brown haired girl out of his head. He felt as though he was cheating. He pushed Ginny away lightly. Then he looked up and saw her face she was hurt and torn and he felt awful. She was one of his closest friends and he had caused the tears running down her cheeks and the defiant look on her face. He lent out to touch her and just as he was a millimetre away she disappeared.

Notes: well there it is folks - for the year. I will be back with chapter six (of twelve) in the New Year I hope you enjoyed it so far and please review


	6. Morning talk

Chapter Six

Notes: despite my first note saying I would not be posting until after the new year I have managed to find ten minutes to post the next chapter of this story. Hope you enjoy it please review love C.J.

Morning talk

Ginny sat on the large bed in her hotel room. The room was a beautiful art deco suite rather than a pokey box room. When she had left her flat she had found herself in a large park she had no recollection of particularly wishing to be here and for a second she worried that she would that she would find herself in Australia, China or another country far from home. One of the principals of apparition was concentration and Ginny knew she had not been concentrating. She looked around the park and just beyond the park limits she saw London's ubiquitous tube signs.

"So," she thought "at least I was still in the capital." She made her way out of the park the day overhead was fading and the last remnants of people who'd spent the day in one of London's parks on a beautiful summer day were exiting. She turned left not particularly paying attention to where she walked. After some time, Ginny could never be sure of how long except the beautiful day had turned into night and the first drops of rain had begun soaking her light white t-shirt.

The building she entered was impressive but Ginny did not have the will to be impressed. The lobby was pure white marble with oak panels that cost more than most people in this city made in their lifetime.

"May I help you?" a tall brunette woman asked Ginny her smile as fake as the white teeth that flashed Ginny.

"I need a room,"

"We only have the Piano suite available,"

"That's fine," Ginny replied glumly.

"Our rates are quite steep,"

Ginny remained silent simply taking a muggle credit card out of her pocket and placing it on the desk. The woman took the credit card and placed it in the chip and pin machine "please enter your number," she said in a bored voice. Ginny did so and it gave her no small note of satisfaction to see the surprise in the woman's face as the computer flashed green.

"Your suite is on the second floor."

"Thank you," Ginny said she walked with her head down her heart was pounding as her head constantly replayed Harry pushing her away. She knew he had someone else but she couldn't help herself. She had liked him in spite of herself for years, true that love had changed from a child's crush to a teenage love and now an adults heartbreaking all consuming love. She hadn't confided in Draco that night why she had kissed the particular boy. He reminded her of Harry: he wasn't Harry of course his hair was too short and another colour and his features were uncertain behind the mask. However something in his air and mannerisms had reminded her of the boy she loved for so long. As she couldn't have him she had done with that facsimile.

She opened the door of the room and sat on the edge of the bed. She didn't look at the furnishings, she didn't see the beautiful art deco surroundings of the room or the regency hangings on the bed. She didn't examine the paintings on the walls or the solid sliver taps in the bathroom. Ginny Weasley simply flung herself on the bed and cried. When she stopped crying Ginny looked at herself in the mirror seeing her puffy face and red eyes she wondered what had caused her to suddenly burst into tears. She knew she was upset but to disappear and then cry her eyes out was not her style. Her stomach lurched and she ran to the bathroom before throwing up her lunch in the beautiful white bathroom.

"Oh no," she said still bent over the lavatory. She raised her hand upwards and saw it shake, her body knew what was happening even if her head had not quite caught up yet. Ginny sat on the bed moments later her hands shaking.

"No no no," she thought "please let me be wrong please." She took her wand and placed it over her stomach whispering some words. It took three attempts to cast the spell, her voice was so cracked and shaking. When she did manage it her stomach began to glow, a pale white light emitted itself from somewhere below her ribs. She staggered backwards her foot colliding with the bed behind her. She tripped and lay on her back on the bed. She lay still for moment her chest heaving.

"I am pregnant," she thought "what am I going to tell everyone?" She had no idea who the father was. She saw it all in her minds eye. Hermione looking at her as though she was disappointed. Her brothers growing increasingly angry her mother crying and Harry kissing his new girlfriend and not caring about his knocked up friend.

Hermione looked at the knot in her table her fiancée was in the kitchen again. In front of her sat her best friend.

"Tell me again Harry," she said patiently "exactly what happened ?"

"We were moving her stuff up to her room and then I err we sort of kissed and then she apparated." The last half of the sentence was said so quickly that Hermione barely caught it.

"She kissed you and then what I am guessing you didn't declare undying love for her?" He asked slightly sarcastically.

"No," Harry said very quietly. "I pushed her away." He was desperately glad that Ron was not there at that moment.

"You do know she likes you Harry?" Hermione said.

"Well I do now," he said "before I always thought she had a childish crush on me not a real liking."

"So did I. Evidently we were mistaken."

"What can I do?"

"Don't go looking for her." Hermione replied calmly she barely got the sentence out before Harry cut in.

"I can't leave her she-"

"Harry," Hermione smiled taking his hand "who do you think is the last person in the world she wants to see right now?"

"Me," he said in a tiny voice.

"Precisely let me and Draco search for her. He is as trained an auror and I am sure the things we picked up looking for the horcruxes are still in some part of my memory."

"Keep me posted." He said simply.

"Of course," Hermione smiled kindly and with that he stood up, and left the flat. Hermione looked after her best friend.

"Has he gone?" Draco asked putting his head around the kitchen door."

"Yes," Hermione smiled "he had gone."

"I don't quite know why you are hiding. You work with him and lived with him for a couple of years. You get on with him."

"Yes but I really don't want to hear about how he kissed Ron's sister." Hermione surprised him by laughing so hard her eyes began to water and for the next few minutes every time she looked back at her fiancee she began to laugh again.

"What?" He asked once she had stopped laughing.

"How many times has Ron told you he doesn't like hearing about you and me yet you continue to tell him? Maybe you've just had a taste of your own medicine." Draco smiled at her.

"Maybe. I still like seeing Weasley's face when he is disgusted by something." A silence enveloped the pair for a moment or two.

"Where do you intend to start looking for Ginny? Draco asked breaking the spell he voice and tone suddenly serious.

"I don't know," she replied "she must have stayed in a hotel or something, but where I don't know."

"Of course you can trace wand magic." She looked at her fiancee.

"That's auror training," he replied "how do you know that?"

"It's interesting what people say when their ill." He went a little pale thinking of his recent bout of flu.


	7. An unromantic morning

Chapter Seven

Happy New Year everyone and here is the first chapter of 2012

An un-romantic morning

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked her fiancée. The pair stood in front of one of London's premier hotels. "I understand the logic of a hotel but I can't imagine this one is cheap and and I don't think Ginny's job pays her that much."

"Well if we trust that I am not an idiot and have cast the spell correctly then this is where Ginny is hiding or at least the last place she used magic." He said it all in such a sarcastic tone that Hermione turned to him and simply raised an eyebrow.

"Can we lose the attitude Mr. Malfoy?" She smiled at him. He smiled back.

"Our kids don't have a chance."

"What kids?" Hermione asked.

"The dozens we are going to have once we're married."

"Dozens? I hope not."

"I want more than one, being an only child is lonely."

"I know." She squeezed his hand."Did you just start that conversation so I wouldn't notice us walking into the hotel?"

"Kind of." She smiled again at him. A thin middle-aged woman was stood behind the desk. She held a telephone in her left phone whilst writing down something on a pad of paper in hand writing worthy of a scribe.

"Can I help you?" She smiled as she put the telephone down.

"We are looking for Ginny Weasley I believe she is staying here." The woman scanned a computer screen for a few minutes.

"No," she smiled "I am afraid we don't have anyone of that name."

"I know she is staying here," Draco said more firmly "she has red hair, blue eyes. She's staying on the second floor." Even Hermione looked a little surprised at this. The woman's expression changed from one of shock to a dazed, vacant expression. She looked around the lobby.

"There is a Miss. Dumbeldore, staying in the piano suite that matches that description."

"Thank you," Hermione said to the woman.

"You're welcome," she replied.

"You did something to her," Hermione accused as soon as the lift door's were closed.

"And?" Draco said dismissively "we need to find out were Ginny is."

"I know but I don't like your methods."

"It wasn't permanent she'll be rubbing her eyes right now thinking that she dropped of for a minute." The conversation came to an abrupt holt as the doors of the lift opened. Draco glanced at his watch: it was gone midnight. The hall was a beautiful deep blue colour and unlike a normal hotel Hermione saw only four doors on the entire corridor. The one on the left was marked with perfect writing "the Piano Suite". Hermione knocked on the door lightly when it solicited no response she knocked louder. There was still no response. Hermione was sure she could hear the faint tinkling of a piano. With the alohamora charm she opened the door.

Hermione was under the impression she would have to search for Ginny, but she was sat on the largest of the three sofa's in the room. She was wearing a plain green jumper and a black pair of jeans. The expression on her face made Hermione for a second think that she was under a spell. But as the pair entered the room Ginny turned her head towards them.

"Oh hi," she said in a dream-like state.

"Hi!" Hermione shouted. "Hi! Gin you have been missing for nearly a week. Everyone has been going spare." Draco tried to grab Hermione's hand but he was too late. Ginny then did the last thing Hermione expected. She began to cry. They were not great tears or sobs but little tears that spilt down Ginny's face, which stoically stayed in the same expression. Hermione sat beside her, taking her hand. The piano in the background which was playing itself ominously changed to playing Holst's "Mars". Ginny turned towards Hermione her face still expressionless.

"I'm pregnant."

"I'm sorry what?" Draco said politely to Ginny.

"I'm pregnant." She repeated.

"Who's the father?" Hermione asked softly as she still head Ginny's hand. For the first time Ginny's expression changed as she smiled, just an inch or so.

"I don't know." This time Draco got there faster than Hermione.

"Your mystery guy from my party." He put a hand over his mouth. Hermione went a little pale as she turned back to Ginny, who confirmed it with a little nod.

"You have to tell Ron and your parents." Hermione said softly.

"I know," she replied "I just needed to escape it."

"When did you find out?" Draco asked taking a seat opposite the girls on a beautiful cream couch.

"A few days ago," she replied.

"We need to leave Ginny," Hermione said "you've got to let the others know."

"I know," she repeated.

"You can stay ours," Draco said kindly and Hermione nodded enthusiastically.

Ginny remained in that ethereal state whilst Draco and Hermione packed her clothes, walked her down the stairs and into the muggle taxi they had waiting. Draco had been amused by the entire process of calling for a cab. Ginny had sat waiting in the lobby just staring into space.

When Ginny awoke the next morning she wondered where she was for a moment. Then as she turned to her left she saw the old fashioned magical alarm clock she had once owned. She had left it to Hermione as a parting gift when she had moved out.

"Hermione's," she thought "I'm at Hermione and Draco's". She made her way to the small kitchen Draco and Hermione were kissing over the counter. They broke their kiss once they spotted Ginny.

"It's ok," she smiled unconvincingly "just because I am in my situation doesn't mean that I cannot abide anyone else's happiness." She slumped on the kitchen table.

"Do you want something to eat?" Hermione asked smiling.

"No," Ginny replied.

"You need something-" Hermione started but was cut off by Ginny suddenly jumped up and ran out of the room. Hermione and Draco stared after her and they heard retching sounds in the bathroom.

"What's that?" Draco mouthed.

"Morning sickness," Hermione replied aloud. She shook her head running after her friend.


	8. A morning outburst

Chapter Eight

A morning outburst

Ron, Hermione, Harry and Draco had been sat in the boy's front room for the last twenty minutes waiting for Ginny. Hermione had simply told the group that Ginny had something important to tell them but she had not let on anything else. Hermione had been reluctant to let Ginny arrive by herself but she knew she was coming straight from work and hoped that would give the younger witch little time to reconsider. Hermione found herself glad she wasn't in her friend's shoes. She did not envy Ginny having to tell her brother and Harry. "What was Harry to Ginny?" Hermione wondered she knew the younger woman had a crush on Harry for several years but she assumed that it had dissipated years earlier. "He is another brother," she decided "just overly protective of her."

"Harry-" Ron began as a way of stopping the feeling of tension that had crept over the flat.

"Stop it!" Hermione snapped at Ron who looked sheepish. He had been drumming his fingers on the coffee table for the last few minutes and it had been driving Hermione crazy no matter how much she tried to ignore him. Draco put his hand on hers and in spite of herself she calmed down a little. The tension was diffused by Ginny who opened the door and just that moment.

"Hi," she smiled "sorry I am late, work." She tried to give an air of breezy happiness but she wasn't fooling anyone in the room. "Oh Merlin," she said as she sat on the room's large sofa. She felt like she was being interviewed. Hermione sat on one of the armchairs in the room, with Draco perched on the arm. Harry sat on a kitchen stool and Ron sat on the heavy coffee table. Ginny herself took the last seat on the the sofa. All four looked at her although she was going to say something immensely important.

Ginny took and deep breath in. "I am pregnant." It was barely above a whisper but it didn't need to be, everyone in the room heard her.

"Who?" Ron said fiercely.

"If you think I am telling you who my baby's father is then you have another think coming Ronald Weasley. You just want to go and beat him up."

"Too right I do," Ron shouted back as he stood up. "Who knocks someone up and walks away? You have been missing for a week Ginerva. We have had no idea where you have been. Mum and dad have been tearing their hair out. You just went."

"Ron," Hermione said softer facing her best friend. "Please sit down." He did so begrudgingly. Harry moved from the stool to sit beside Ginny.

"Gin you don't have to tell us anything," he smiled at her "but we are here when you need us ok?" She nodded smiling back at him. A silence fell over the group for a moment.

"You knew," Ron suddenly turned on Hermione. She tried to hide it but her face was paler than usual. She sat still and didn't reply. Without a word Ron stood up and exited the flat slamming the door in a manner worthy of the moodiest of teenage girls. Harry looked over to his other best friend who didn't say anything.

"She found me Harry," it was Ginny who explained "I was hiding in London. Don't blame her, she told me to talk to you."

"I don't blame Hermione." He smiled slightly. Ginny felt her heart beating faster in her chest as she imagined Harry turning on her. However he simply stood up.

"Drinks?" He asked the assembled group. "Ginny's having a baby we should be celebrating." He turned to her "no matter who the dad is or if you have to do this alone you will an amazing mum." Ginny's face broke into a wide grin and she wrapped her arms around Harry's neck.

"I'll do the drinks," Draco said breaking his rather stoic silence. "I do know where they are kept. I lived here for long enough."

"Any names?" Harry asked her. She shook her head. "What date is it due?"

"The middle of January."

"Do you know if it's a boy or girl?"

"No."

"Do you have to see a healer or something?" Ginny smiled at him.

"Harry I promise to keep you updated I'm not due at St. Mungo's for a few weeks."

"Butterbeer," Draco shouted from the kitchen as he walked through into the sitting room with three butterbeers and a glass of pumpkin juice."

"Sorry Ginny," he smiled as he passed it to her.

"Don't worry," she said smiling at him back.

"To Ginny," Draco proposed.

"And her baby," added Harry.

"Ginny and her baby," they all echoed as the door slammed. Ginny turned to see her brother stood at the door.

"Hi Gin," he smiled weakly. Ginny felt her temper flare up but she tried to suppress it.

"So have you accepted that your little sister is knocked up yet? Or do you still want to punch someone?" He sat beside her as Harry moved.

"I am going to look after you and that baby Gin. If you need anything." She smiled at him and for a second nothing was needed to be said as a sibling bond deepened.

That evening Ginny sat curled on her bed reading "The Magical Baby Book". She turned the book upside down wondering how on earth women were supposed to do this.

"Night Gin," she heard Hermione shout as the older witch left her kitchen.

"Night," Ginny shouted back.

"No Draco," Ginny heard Hermione whisper accompanied with a most un-Hermioneish giggle.

"Come on please," Ginny heard Draco reply and what sounded like the pair kissing.

"For Merlin's sake," she thought. The couple she was living with had gone from believing they could not show any form of affection in front of Ginny to barely putting each other down. Ginny acknowledged that they were young and in love but quite often she wanted to shout at them. "Please put each other down." Turning the lamp on her bedside table off she pulled the covers up to her chin. For the first time in weeks she fell into a deep sleep.


	9. Morning scan

Chapter Nine

Morning scan

"Hello?" Harry asked as he took a few tentative steps into Hermione and Draco's flat. He hadn't been in the building since the pair had made the announcement they were getting married. In many ways the flat was the same. It still had Hermione's incredible number of books lining the walls and muggle television set in the small kitchen. But it had changed as well, the red pillows on the sofa had been joined by some green ones. The photographs on the coffee table now included one of the happy couple kissing. Harry shook his head. "Couldn't they just stop it for ten minutes?" he wondered.

"I'm coming," Ginny shouted as she turned the corner from the small corridor that held the two bedrooms into the body of the flat.

"Hi," Harry smiled at her.

"I will be one minute," she smiled back. She ran into the kitchen picking up her scarf, a handbag and a set of keys.

"We're not late Gin," Harry said "actually I came over early there is something I wanted to talk to you about." Ginny looked at her friend. "Sit down," he said softy in the manner of someone preparing for bad news. Ginny studied his face to gain an idea of what was going on but she was stumped. She took a seat on the sofa, much to her annoyance she was sat beside the new addition of the green cushions.

Harry looked at his friend. Her stomach was becoming a little rounded as the baby inside her grew. She wasn't obviously pregnant yet but those who knew her would look twice. Her face however was smiling, her long hair loose down her back she turned to Harry.

"What's up?" She tried to smiled but her stomach was in knots as she became convinced he was going to deliver some terrible news.

"Marry me."

"I'm sorry?" Ginny asked. She was sure she had heard wrong because there was no way on earth Harry Potter, saviour of the wizarding world was asking Ginny Weasley, his knocked up friend to marry him.

"I said marry-"

"I heard" she interrupted him sharply standing up and pacing. "Why?"

"Why not? I am worried what your parents will think and it's the right thing to do and you're my friend and-"

"But you don't love me Harry."

"Yes I do."

"But you're not in love with me. Tell me what happens after a year of this platonic marriage when the girl of your dreams turns up and you run away with her? Will I be any less of a laughing stock then? Or when you see this baby and realise you can't love it because it has blonde hair or something?"

"So the baby's dad had blonde hair?"

"I didn't say that," she replied angrily.

"But you inferred it."

"What about you Harry? Hadn't you better check you haven't knocked up that girl you were snogging at Draco's party?" Harry went pale. "See," she shouted "I'm not the only one with secrets Harry Potter."

"But the baby?" he replied weakly "doesn't it need a dad or someone."

"Yes but I don't need to be married to that person. Every family is different and mine will not have less love because my baby only has one parent." The pair sat in silence for a minute. Ginny saw his hand just millimetres from her own, if she stretched a little she could reach it. But she dare not, one part of her mind could hardly believe she had turned down marriage to Harry Potter and the other half knew if he left her it would break her heart.

Harry jumped up, surprising Ginny and making her jump a little.

"Sorry," he apologised giving her a hand up from the deep sofa. She smiled.

"The healer will just be a minute Miss. Weasley." The receptionist smiled at Harry and Ginny. The pair were at Ginny's three month checkup. As Ginny took a seat she heard a soft welsh accent shout,

"Ginerva Weasley." Ginny smiled at Harry as she stood up leaving Harry reading a copy of the Prophet.

"Hello," the healer smiled over brightly at Ginny "you must be Ginerva."

"Ginny," Ginny replied.

"Sorry," the healer said her welsh lilt becoming stronger. "Anyway Ginny take a seat," she pointed to the seat opposite her. "Do you know when the due date would be?"

"Around mid-January,"

"Okay then. Is the father a wizard or a muggle?"

"A wizard." Ginny sighed it was the one question she could answer with certainty about the father."

"And would you like to know the gender of the baby?"

"Err, yes." Ginny said hesitantly. In truth she hadn't given the subject much thought. When she found out she was pregnant most her thinking had been taken up with wondering what her parents and friends would think. In hindsight she realised she had given the baby little thought. "I am going to have a baby, a whole little human being dependant on me." She thought.

"Are you sure?" The healer smiled.

"Yes," Ginny nodded firmly "I want to know the gender."

"Okay," she smiled her white teeth glinting through her lipstick painted lips. "Just lay back a little on the chair and pull your t-shirt up." She whispered a spell and Ginny felt her stomach tingle a little as a pale yellow light emitted from her stomach. Ginny was confused she assumed that the light would be blue or pink.

"That's a boy!" The woman said clapping her hands excitedly. Ginny smiled looking at her stomach as the pale yellow light faded.

"A boy," she thought smiling a little thinking of her holding a baby boy with red curls.

"Is everything ok?" The healer asked.

"Yes," Ginny smiled "it's fine."

"Okay then I will see you in two months but if you have any problems just come in."

"Thank you." Ginny smiled.

"Is everything ok?" Harry asked protectively.

"Yes," Ginny said "you know you really didn't have to come Harry."

"I know, but I can't imagine you coming by yourself and Ron and Hermione are at work."

"Thank you for coming."

"Is everything ok?"

"Yes I am having a boy."

"Merlin that's," Harry spluttered as he grabbed her in a hug.

"Hardly surprising," she said once he had let her go "just look at how many boys my mum had."

"Still," Harry smiled as they exited the hospital into a beautiful autumn day "I am excited."

"Me too," she smiled up at him look for all the world a couple in love.

Notes: I feel completely mean for leaving it there but I promise you the wait will be worth it, next week: 'Morning Hermione'.


	10. Morning Hermione

Chapter Ten

Morning Hermione

I am not going to lie this is quite possibly my favourite chapter in this story I hope you enjoy it too please review afterwards love C.J.

"Morning Hermione," her fiancee smiled at her as he rolled over in bed and almost squashed her. She smiled at him but there was a fierceness to the smile and he soon rolled back. Hermione loved Draco but no love is perfect and one of Draco's idiosyncrasies that annoyed Hermione was his belief that he owned the entire of their double bed. Hermione had lost count of the amount of times she had asked him to roll over or to stop hogging the covers.

"Morning Draco," she smiled back kissing him softly on the lips.

"What time are you at work?" he asked her as she exited the bed naked walking around the room trying to find her clothes.

"Do you mind?" She said angrily.

"I know what you look like without any clothes on." He replied in a relaxed tone. She rolled her eyes.

"About lunchtime."

"What?"

"The time I am going into work, lunchtime."

"Oh."

"Why do you have anything special planned?"

"No I just don't want you to spoil your appetite."

"Believe me Draco I know you are taking me out you've reminded me of the fact at least eight times this week and it's only tuesday. Besides aren't you having lunch with Harry and Ron?" The last part of the sentence came out muddled as she put a red jumper.

"What?" Draco asked "I can't hear you."

"I said aren't you meeting with Harry and Ron for lunch."

"Yeah I probably won't get a word in with Harry moping over that girl he kissed at my party. Hermione froze she almost felt her stomach contract as it tied itself in knots.

"What girl?" She said slowly her tone of voice obviously changed.

"I don't know some brown haired girl he had sex with at my party."

"Oh my goodness."

"What's up?"

"You are and idiot Draco Malfoy."

"That's strong words Hermione." He replied trying to look offended.

"Harry had sex with a brown haired girl at your party. Ginny had brown hair that night. Ginny has sex with a mystery man. Ginny is now having a baby. Ginny is now having Harry's baby. How did you not make that connection?" Hermione said all this as though she was explaining addition to very small child.

"Oh Merlin." Draco said his face more pale than usual. He rushed out of bed and Hermione grabbed a pair of jeans hurriedly putting them on. Draco watched her running out of the room. Hermione felt her heart pound in her chest she felt as though the secret she knew was visibly bearing down on her. She opened the door to Ginny's room which was obviously empty.

The bed was neatly made and a small pile of baby books had accumulated at the bottom of the bed. On the bed was a small piece of paper with the words "at mums" written in Ginny's handwriting. Hermione thought for a minute and then still not wearing any shoes disapparted.

"Harry," she shouted as she ran through the flat, not bothering to knock she ran straight into Harry's room.

"Seriously Hermione," he said sleepily once he realised who it was "what do you want from me at this time in the morning?"

"Harry," she said seriously sitting on the end of the bed. "The girl you kissed at Draco's party. What did she look like?"

"Err I'm not sure Hermione she was a bit taller than you, brown hair, blue eyes, pretty. How do you even know about this?" He rubbed his eyes.

"Draco told me," she said quickly. "Harry haven't you thought that girl might be Ginny?"

"She didn't have sex with someone at Draco's party did she she oh," the sentence which had started fluently broke down into a mass of words. Hermione looked up at Harry who was distinctly pale. "She's having my baby." He said "Oh Merlin she's." He paused and looked at Hermione. Nothing further was needed to be said between them. "Where is she?"

"The Burrow telling her parents I imagine."

"I have to go," Harry said quickly jumping out of bed. Hermione moved out of his way at he grabbed a pair of jeans and hurriedly put them on. He didn't bother to change his boxers or t-shirt and grabbing his glasses he disappeared. Hermione was left with an empty room. Feeling there was nothing else for her to do she also disaparated.

"Hello?" Shouted Ron out of his bedroom he was sure he has heard the familiar pop of someone apparting but when no one materialised he headed back to bed.

"Ginny," Harry said breathlessly. He had materialised just outside the Burrow. He felt the cold grass under his bare feet. He stood up and ran the hundred or so metres to the achingly familiar lopsided building in front of him. As she reached the door he hear Ginny's voice say.

"Well I know it's a bit early for a call but I had to get something of my chest. The thing is-"

"No!" Harry shouted running in front of Ginny and her parents.

"Harry my boy," Arthur smiled. "What on earth are you doing here? Not that you're not welcome."

"Hello Harry dear," Mrs. Weasley smiled and Harry felt himself being embraced in a large hug.

"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley can I have a word with Ginny alone please?"

"Of course Harry dear nothing's the matter is it?" Molly asked in a worried voice.

"No no no," Harry replied a bit quickly and if Mrs. Weasley didn't trust him so implicitly she would't have left the pair alone.

"Ok we'll be in the kitchen if you need us." She smiled.

"Hi Harry," Ginny smiled at him when her parents had left the room "what's the crisis?" Harry looked at her large blue eyes and concern for him sprung out. He didn't know how he hadn't seen in earlier but he loved Ginny Weasley.

"The baby," he said slowly. "It's mine."

"I beg your pardon." Ginny said her brow furrowed in anger.

"I am the father of your baby, our baby. I had sex with a brown haired girl at the party."

"Ok," She said slightly angrily.

"That was you Gin. Who else could it be?"

"I don't know some bimbo."

"Gin you had brown hair that night, the girl I kissed had brown hair." Ginny opened her pocket. Her hand were shaking a little as she pulled out a picture she had hidden there weeks ago. She opened it crumbled as it was. Harry tried to look over her shoulder wondering what she was peering at. He saw a picture of himself, his hair messy as always. He was kissing a brown haired girl, her countenance hidden by a mass of dark brown hair. Harry was confused.

"Where did she get that picture from?" He wondered but in spite of himself he could not force his eyes away. The girl put up a hand to her face and pulled her hair back. There could be no mistake. The girl in the photograph was Ginny Weasley.


	11. Morning baby

Chapter Eleven

Morning baby

"Where did you get that photograph from?" Harry asked her after a long pause had passed between them.

"The Prophet," Ginny replied.

"You knew it was us and therefore that the baby was-" he began.

"No," Ginny shot back defensively "I didn't know I saw that picture weeks ago. I stole it from work so that's why you haven't been all over the newspapers again. I didn't know who she was."

"How?" he asked. "How did you not know that was you?"

"Because I couldn't see her face."

"But still didn't you put two and two together."

"What about you, aren't you just as guilty or stupid?" She shouted back.

"I was drunk."

"And was the epitome of sensibility that night?"

"I'm sorry," Harry apologised quickly. "I just can't believe I'm going to be a dad." He sat down heavily on the Weasley's old sofa. Ginny smiled at him.

"You are going to be brilliant. I promise you." She squeezed his hand "but I am not asking for anything. I can do this alone if needs be."

"No," Harry almost growled "no you are not." He changed his tone as Ginny's parents entered the room.

"Is everything ok Ginny?" Arthur Weasley asked. He voice was desperately trying to be casual but fell short of the mark.

"I need to tell you something." Ginny said seriously. No one replied. "I'm pregnant." After a pause of ten seconds or so both her parents began speaking simultaneously.

"Ginny how are you going to cope?"

"Who is the father?"

"I am." Harry said firmly and Molly and Arthur both stopped speaking. Arthur's eyebrows both rose an inch or so on his face. "I am the father of Ginny's baby. I take full responsibility for him. I will love him and care for him and provide Ginny with anything she needs."

"I cannot pretend this isn't a shock." Mr. Weasley said taking a seat beside his daughter. "But I have no doubt that you two will muddle through."

"Muddle through." Molly Weasley shouted "are you mad Arthur? This a child not one of your experiments."

"Molly they will manage."

"They are children."

"Mum I am twenty and Harry's twenty one we are not children anymore." Ginny said angrily.

"They are older we were Molly." Arthur said to his wife patiently.

"Its just she's my baby," Molly half smiled at her daughter and in spite of herself Ginny felt herself being embraced in another of her mothers hugs.

"I'll look after her Mrs. Weasley." Harry said and Molly smiled at him,

"I know you will."

"What are we proposing to tell people?" Ginny asked Harry. They were sat in the waiting room of St. Mungo's. The healer was running over forty minutes later and Harry was getting bored. So was Ginny but she was doing a better job of hiding it. Ginny had already exhausted the limited supplies of reading material. As he turned to reply to there came a shout of,

"Weasley," Ginny jumped up and seeing that Harry didn't she looked around frowning at him.

"Aren't you coming?"

"I didn't think-" he began. She smiled.

"Come on move." He got up and followed her. Since their argument at her parent's house they had lived in a fragile form of civility. She had moved back to the boy's flat. It was a situation they both presented as comfortable to each other however the reality was different. Harry wouldn't make a move because he was worried after Ginny's marriage rejection she no longer liked him. Whilst Ginny was sure that because she had made her feelings clear in trying to kiss him then the fact he had not reciprocated meant her feelings were not matched.

Ginny thought back to when she had returned to Hermione and Draco's flat.

"So?" Hermione smiled.

"What?" Ginny replied.

"How did it go."

"You told Harry." Her blood went cold, she had naively assumed he had remembered the night. "Hermione told him," she thought continually.

"Draco mentioned Harry was hung up on some brown haired girl from the party how no one else spotted it." She shook her head. "So how did it go?" She repeated.

"He is the baby's father."

"And?"

"And what Hermione," she snapped "nothing I am having a child with him and that's it. Do you want me to pour my heart out because I will. I love that boy and he obviously sees me as nothing beside a drunken mistaken. Ok?"

"He's an idiot."

"He's your best friend." Ginny smiled slightly.

"Still an idiot look at you if he can't see your love and beauty then he's an idiot." Ginny smiled Hermione could still surprise her.

That conversation had taken place almost two months ago and as she walked beside Harry down to the healer's room her feelings had not diminished.

"Welcome," the healer smiled at the pair. She was the same overly friendly woman Ginny had seen months earlier.

"Is this the father?" She asked a completely false smile plastered on her face, a little too broadly.

"Mr..." she asked unnecessarily she had already found his file when she had seen the pair sat together in the waiting room at the last appointment.

"Potter."

"Mr. Potter."

"Harry."

"Ok Harry if you can get your lovely girlfriend."

"We're not together."

"She's not my girlfriend." They said simultaneously.

"My mistake," she smiled "modern families I'm so behind the times." Ginny looked at the healer, she would have been surprised if she was ten years older than Ginny herself.

"Anyway Miss. Weasley." The healer said. "I need you to lift your shirt up." This time Ginny had come prepared. She was at five months too big for her normal tops and so was wearing a maternity shirt that unbuttoned at the bottom. "Right," she said "there you go." She point her wand at Ginny's stomach and muttered some words. Ginny felt a warm feeling in her stomach and in front of them Harry and Ginny could see,

"Our baby."

"I'll leave you for a moment." She smiled kindly this time.

"That's our baby." Harry smiled at the floating image of a curled child projected from nowhere in front of the pair. Ginny reached out and felt as though she could touch the picture in front of her. Harry smiled as he turned to look at her. Ginny's face was shining full of happiness. He watched her for a moment then lent in and kissed her. Ginny felt Harry kiss her rather than saw him. She was caught off guard as he kissed her feverishly as though she would disappear. She smiled as they broke apart.

"Took you long enough."

"I proposed, won't be doing that again."

"Ever?"

"Yes," he replied grumpily.

"Well maybe I won't say no this time." She smiled at him.

"Marry me Ginny." He said as he looked up from staring at a knot in the wood of the healer's office floor.


	12. Early Morning

Epilogue 

Early Morning

"So what did you think?" Harry asked his wife as they strolled through rural Derbyshire. Ginny had always been a fan of Peak District since she had visited there as a child and the only restaurant in the town of Ambelside had become their favourite.

"I loved the salmon."

"I guessed that," he laughed "you had a large piece."

"Look at me?" She smiled pointing to her stomach. Ginny was nine months pregnant and due any day. "I think I deserve a little extra food." Harry took her hand in his as they turned the corner of the tiny village onto the village square.

"How do you think Hermione and Draco are getting on?"

"We've left them with James and Al before."

"I know but not with Isaac too and Hermione pregnant."

"Did you enjoy our wedding anniversary Mrs. Potter?"

"Very much Mr. Potter," she smiled back.

"Ready?" Harry smiled as he kissed his wife on the lips and pair disappeared.

"Put it down!" Draco shouted at James. The little boy was holding Draco's wand and he had already managed to smash a vase and a break a shelf resulting in his godmother's books being dumped on the floor. Draco was holding his one year old son Isaac on his shoulder, whilst trying to discipline his godson. Draco heard a loud pop behind him.

"Hi," he heard his wife shout loudly.

"Hi," Harry replied.

"Potter get in here your sons are-" Harry smiled as he walked into the room. He loved his sons but he knew they were hard work.

"Hey trouble," he smiled at his eldest son scooping the boy up and prising Draco's wand out of his tiny fist. "Where's your brother?"

"With Hermione," Draco replied dourly "we had to split them up."

"Sounds about right." Harry smiled at his son.

"Harry," his wife tapped him on the shoulder. He cracked one eyelid opened and looked at the clock sat on the bedside table. It read 5.38 am.

"Umm," he moaned as a form of reply.

"Harry," she said louder.

"Yeah Ginny whatever."

"HARRY!" She shouted and this time her husband did turn over.

"What?" He asked looking at Ginny holding her swollen stomach a look of pure shock on her face. "Gin what's wrong?" His voice was loud and a slight note of panic had entered his voice.

"I think my waters have broke." Harry rushed out of bed and helping his very pregnant wife out of bed. He managed to help her put on her shoes before disapparting them both to St. Mungo's.

Two weeks later the following article appeared in the Daily Prophet.

"Mr. Harry James Potter and Mrs. Ginerva Molly Potter are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter Lily Luna Potter beloved sister to James Sirius and Albus Severus."


End file.
